CRANSTON — “It is beautiful, for disciples of Jesus, to offer their own organs, according to the terms permitted by law and by ethics, because it is a gift given to the suffering Lord, who said that everything we have done to a brother in need we have done to Him.” Pope Francis’ April 2019 address to the Italian Association for the Donation of Organs, Tissues and Cells encapsulates beautifully why Christians will grow in virtue through truly giving themselves to one another, even literally.
Jeff Zurowski, 45, was born with an already weak kidney. As a teenager, he underwent surgery to remove the failing one.
But unfortunately, his remaining kidney has been deteriorating throughout the 25 years since Zurowski’s original diagnosis, and his condition has now progressed to stage 4 kidney failure. He has been on the list to receive a kidney since August 2024.
He said that doctors have given him varying answers on how long he may have to wait to receive a new kidney, with the consensus being perhaps five to seven years, a period in which his health and quality of life will continue to diminish.
Zurowski expresses his daily life as “exhausting.”
“There’s not a lot of activity. I’m mostly staying home and attending to doctor appointments.”
One aspect of his routine that keeps him positive is having the companionship of his orange cat, Reggie, who brings him joy and helps to keep him entertained each day.
Zurowski has a strong faith in Jesus, which keeps him going, and grounded, as he knows the most important thing for him is to be patient.
His parents, too, are faithful members at Holy Apostles Church in Cranston. The community there has been doing all they can for the family.
“Jeff was put on the prayer list. They pray a rosary on Fridays, and he’s been included in that as well,” says his mother, Marie Zurowski.
Father William Ledoux, pastor of Holy Apostles, has, since last year, been including a short bulletin listing each week articulating Jeff’s urgent need for a kidney.
Father Ledoux said he sympathizes greatly with Zurowski, recognizing that the greatest adversity is finding someone willing to donate. He and Jeff’s family know that the greatest thing one can do to help is to get the word out on a grand scale in the hopes that someone may wish to donate one of their kidneys to him.
“The are very faithful individuals, and I think they would do anything they can to help their son. Like any parent is willing to do anything they can for their children,” Father Ledoux told Rhode Island Catholic.
Prayer has been an anchor to get through these times, Zurowski’s mother said.
“My faith has always been strong. It’s comforting knowing that other people are praying for him.”
Father Ledoux similarly states that the most important thing to get through any struggle is our obligation to pray and serve one another.
“We have a responsibility to pray for all those who find themselves in difficult situations. No matter what the health issue is, the power of prayer is very important in all that we do,” he said.
Zurowski, his friends, and family are getting more and more desperate for these prayers to be answered as time passes.
The American Transplant Foundation says there is a plethora of reasons why a living donor is the best solution when a vital transplant is needed.
The organization’s web site indicates that living donors are almost always more promising matches, lessening the chance of rejection, and allows the surgery to be a scheduled procedure.
A transplant would finally remove Zurowski’s name from the list of 114,000 others waiting for a vital organ, meaning that his gaining a kidney not only helps him, but also helps someone else move up in the painful waiting process.
“The gift of an organ can save the life of a transplant candidate. The experience of providing this special gift to a person in need can be a positive aspect of donation,” the American Transplant Association contends.
Anyone aged 18-60 years old with O (Universal blood type) is eligible to see if they could be a match in saving Jeff’s life.
This need to help others, give ourselves to each other, is completely woven into our faith, Father Ledoux says.
“The Church, in Her wisdom, believes that we can try to help others in any way that we can,” he said. “And part of that is if a person is able, is healthy, and if there’s a match, to try to assist another person who is trying to overcome a disease of that nature.”
“We’re not alone in this journey. First and foremost, God is at the center, but all of us together assist the person in that journey,” Father Ledoux said.
Ways to learn more about becoming a living donor or to help Jeff Zurowski directly:
Learn more about the importance of living organ donors: https://www.brownhealth.org/centers-services/transplant-center
Register to be a general donor here: https://neds.org/
To help Jeff Zurowski directly, please visit: https://www.brownhealth.org/centers-services/transplant-center/living-kidney-donor-program/can-i-donate-kidney/donor-evaluation
Or contact Shelia Drew at: sdrew@brownhealth.org or 401-862-3744
